This table shows English vowel sounds with IPA symbols (International Phonetic Alphabet) and standard symbols (std). The words in parentheses represent the IPA transcription. Standard symbols are used in most English dictionaries.
For each sound there is a word that demonstrates where the sound occurs (word initial, middle, or word final) and how the sound occurs (what letter or letter combinations). Click on the words to get an idea of these sounds. Pay attention to the sound of the letters in bold.
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English Vowel Sounds | ||||
IPA | std | examples | ||
I | ĭ | it (It) |
dish (dI ![]() |
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i | ē | she ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
green (g ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
machine (m ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
sunny (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ski (ski) |
please (pliz) |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ĕ | red ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
head (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
said (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
any ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ă | and ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
plaid (pl ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ŏ | hot (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
father (f ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ô | August ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
thaw ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
bought b ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
fall (f ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() |
put (p ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
book (b ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
should ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
u | ū | room (rum) |
who (hu) |
through ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
you (ju) |
shoe ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
July ( ![]() ![]() |
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flew (flu) |
two (tu) |
blue (blu) |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ŭ | up ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
tough (t ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
sofa (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
enemy ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
incredible (Inkr ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
gallop (g ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
focus (f ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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The ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Diphthongs | ||||
eI | ā | they ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
gray (g ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
aid (eId) |
ate (eIt) |
great (greIt) |
freight (freIt) |
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résumé (r ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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aI | ī | fine (faIn) |
aisle (aIl) |
sight (saIt) |
why (waI) |
bye (baI) |
lie (laI) |
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buy (baI) |
guide (gaId) |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
oi | toy (t ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
noise (n ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ou | cow (k ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
house (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ō | snowing (sn ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
sew (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
though ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
hello (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
toe (t ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
soap (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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ju | y![]() ![]() ![]() |
unite (junaIt) |
humid (hjumId |
few (fju) |
ewe (ju) |
youth (ju ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
eulogy (jul ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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Vowel sounds with "r" endings | ||||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
arm ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
guard (g ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
heart (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
ore ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
floor (fl ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
four (f ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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more (m ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
near (n ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
here (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
cheers ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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pier (p ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
hair (h ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
where (w ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
mare (m ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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merry (m ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
their ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
burn (b ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
learn (l ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
sir (s ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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October ( ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
worm (w ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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